Long Weekend
by PiscesChikk
Summary: A weekend in the Hamptons brings fun, romance, relaxation and a surprise that neither Reese or Carter were prepared for.
1. Chapter 1

A/N This is a Valentine fic request from FangirlU. The prompt is that Carter and Reese go on a vacation trip together and she finds out that she is pregnant. Hope you enjoy it, girl. Some parts of the fic might be OOC, but overall I believe the story is true to their characters. This fic ended up being more than one chapter long. The final chapter will be posted by next week Friday at the latest.

No beta, so forgive any errors in grammar and punctuation.

***Disclaimer ~ Nothing you see belongs to me :)

* * *

"Shit."

Carter threw the rectangular box into the sink along with its contents and refused to believe the results clearly displayed on the test strip.

"Shit," she said, again.

She walked out of her bathroom and sat down at the foot of her bed while tears welled up in her eyes.

What the hell was she going to do? How was she supposed to tell him this?

* * *

_1 Week Ago_

Joss kissed her teeth and turned her head.

"I am totally ignoring you." John was in the driver's seat next to her, a look of disbelief on his face.

She entered the numbers into her cell phone again, dialing them once more. "Ignoring you. Ignoring you. Ignoring you."

The smile she had on her face was wooden, didn't reach her eyes, but John only laughed.

"Actually, I think that Taylor is the one that's ignoring _you_." She shot him another look and turned the car radio down, muting the song he was listening to.

"Don't ever mess with the driver's music," he said, but she slapped his hand away as he tried to turn the volume up again. "Come on, Joss. Leave him alone. He's 17 years old; he's not a little kid."

She knew he was right, and she was never this overbearing, but this was her first vacation without Taylor in years. They never travelled without each other unless he went on a school trip, and whenever she went on vacation, even if it was just to another state, so did he.

But this was a rare occasion, and instead of a family visit to her sister in Philadelphia or a weekend trip so that the both of them could relax, she was on the road with John, heading to the Hamptons for a four day weekend getaway that they'd both been planning for the last few months. The tentative beginnings of their bond was heading for the two year mark, and while the ins and outs of a relationship with a man who was legally dead had its challenges, they were making it work the best they could.

About six months ago he'd decided that they needed time away. Time away from the numbers, her job, and everyone else. Time where they didn't have to be who they normally were and could just enjoy each other. She was shocked at his suggestion, didn't think that with his unique job it'd be possible. But he'd made it happen, and here they were.

Admittedly, she was doing an awful job so far of leaving everything behind. They'd been on the road for over two hours and all she'd done was worry about Taylor and if he was okay. She left a message on his voicemail and threw her phone into her handbag.

She turned to Reese, and he had a wry look on his face. "I'm sorry. I haven't been good company have I?"

"I understand you're worried. I do. But you gotta let him be a man. He'll be okay. And we're taking this trip so that we can focus on each other. Remember?"

He scooped her hand up in his and kissed the back of it. The smile that he offered lit up his face, and it was so infectious she had to return it.

"I remember," she said, and she settled into her seat, letting her eyes travel down the length of him.

He'd traded in his uniform today in favour of a more casual look. Instead of the usual black suit and white shirt, he was clad in dark jeans and a gray polo top. Free from product, his gray peppered hair moved in the breeze that flowed through the windows of the vehicle and he looked more like a carefree soccer dad instead of an ex CIA agent turned vigilante. He was strikingly handsome today, and staring at his profile made her blush thinking about how she'd fallen asleep in his arms last night.

"Okay, no more calls home. At least not until tomorrow." She laughed, and so did he. "So if I'm not a detective on this trip, and you're not…whoever you normally are…who are we supposed to be?"

"Well I rented the house for us under the names John and Joss Warren." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh. So we're brother and sister?" she asked.

"Funny," he replied. "Only if one of us was adopted."

"So we're married, then?"

"Just for the weekend. That is, if you don't mind."

"I don't know, John," Joss said, picking imaginary dirt from underneath her newly manicured nails. "I think I might feel some type of way about being married to you when there's been no proposal, not even a ring to seal the deal." A smile tickled the corners of her mouth, and he chuckled.

"Already got it covered actually."

"Covered how?"

"Look in the glove compartment."

She did as he told her and was shocked to find two small ring boxes sitting there. She was too stunned; she hesitated to open them after picking them up. The sight of the logo on the bottom of the boxes when she turned them over made her positively speechless. It was from one of the more expensive jewelers in New York.

"Don't open them yet," he said, covering her hands. "Leave them for later. We're almost there."

He was right. When she looked up at the road ahead of them, John had turned left off of Water Mill, and soon East Hampton came into view.

"And we need an entrance theme. Turn my music back up, Joss." He gave her a mock stern look, and she rolled her eyes, increasing the volume of the radio. Sounds of the Jackson 5 filled the jeep again, and he bobbed his head along to the beat.

"_Oh_ _baby, give me one more chance…."_ He crooned.

She groaned at the sound, but in the next moment, she was singing along with him. _"To show you that I love you."_

"_Won't you please let me…..back in your heart_?" They sung in unison, and she gazed at him, smiling, finally starting to relax. She really was looking forward to their weekend together.

* * *

When they pulled up to a tall iron gate and John entered the code to open it, he smiled at the sound of astonishment that came from Carter's lips.

"Who's staying here?" she asked, as the wheels of the Lincoln Navigator rolled over the long and winding pebble stone driveway.

"We are."

"What?"

Ahead of them was a two story mansion that sat on two acres of property. It was white stucco on the outside, had a wraparound porch and verandah, and windows stretching over six feet tall. There was a second floor balcony, and from what he was told, the back yard led straight out to a secluded stretch of beach.

Carter got out of the front seat once the SUV came to a stop and walked up the front steps. She looked around the well manicured yard, green grass that stretched for miles and then turned to him as he followed close behind.

"John, this is huge."

He grinned down at her. "Wait till you see inside."

Once they walked over the threshold he took her from room to room on the first floor, showing her the stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, the entertainment room that boasted a gigantic mounted flat screen, plush seating that could easily accommodate a family of five, but for them it was just as good for their weekend rendezvous for two.

"I don't believe this," she said as he slipped his arm over her shoulders. "How many bedrooms does this place have?"

"Four bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a gazebo outside, the beach, fully stocked kitchen, washer and dryer…"

"You did all this for us?" she asked, turning around. Her hair fell past her shoulders and he threaded his fingers through it while he kissed her softly.

"I did this for _you_," he answered. He kissed her again, enjoying how she burrowed closer to him, loving how her body felt in his arms. "Do you like it?"

"Of course I do," she said, touching his face. "Thank you, baby."

"Let me go get our things from the car, and you can thank me later. You can thank me all night."

She laughed as she followed him outside and he couldn't help but think of how beautiful she looked. She had on a sleeveless navy blue romper, a tan belt around the waist. The hem of it stopped just above her knees and the glow of the afternoon sun made her legs look as if they'd been dipped in liquid gold. Right now he wanted nothing more than to have them wrapped around his back. Her hair was curly, glistening, and her lips were kissed with a deep shade of red lipstick.

"Don't think I didn't notice you taking more than a casual look around, John. I saw you checking out the rooms, clocking 'em. You expecting someone to follow us up here, _Mr. Warren_?"

"Like you weren't doing the same thing?" He hauled both suitcases up the steps and stopped next to her, looking behind her to ogle her ample bottom. "Always looking for the exits, right, _Mrs. Warren_?"

"You think you know me so well, don't you?" she asked, following him inside, up the staircase and into the master bedroom.

It boasted a walk in closet, a two sink bathroom with a Jacuzzi, and vanity, but the first thing they both noticed was the massive king sized bed. It stood on a raised platform straight ahead. It had recessed lighting above it and they lined the four corners of the room. The bedding was a deep royal purple with black and gold trim, accent pillows were propped up and Carter sat down on it, then immediately lay back.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Reese looked down at her from the foot of the bed.

"What you picked up from your past days of stalking me doesn't count."

He scoffed before he bent down and hovered atop her. He parted her thighs, lying between them, something he'd wanted to do all morning and afternoon. She put her arms around him, her fingers touching his nape.

"Past? Past? Who said that I ever stopped?"

"You -"

He silenced her with his mouth, parting her lips to slide his tongue inside. What was soft before downstairs was now passionate, and with no one around them for miles, no machine, no Finch, Shaw, Taylor or Fusco, he finally felt like they were free to do whatever they wanted. And with her hands moving over his shoulders and back while she felt so soft and sexy underneath him, what he wanted…was _her_.

"Don't get too carried away, now. No sex before the wedding, remember?"

"Whose idea was that?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbow.

She wiped at the lipstick smeared on his lips, and he traced his finger down the length of her nose. His cock was throbbing, but as much as he was tempted to have his way with her in every way possible, he hadn't planned for them to spend the rest of the day in bed. That'd happen another day. He wanted to take her out tonight, sit in public and not have to worry about the wrong person seeing them together.

"Mine. I just came up with it."

He pushed himself upwards and got up, groaning deeply while she smiled devilishly. "Fine, I'll be right back."

Carter giggled as she watched him leave the room, and when she sat up she realized there was a balcony outside. She slipped her sandals off and unlocked the door, stepping out into the breeze. The beach stretched for miles, and in the distance she could see a lighthouse. She stood near the railing wondering when she'd ever been on a vacation like this and if she was honest, she'd say never. She and Paul had been to some nice places together while they were married, she and Taylor had taken a few trips as well, but this place was nothing short of luxurious, except she felt right at home.

"Oooh."

She rested her hand on her stomach; a sudden feeling of nausea hitting her out of nowhere. She hadn't eaten since the night before and attributed the lightheadedness that accompanied it to hunger. Food was definitely what she needed at the moment. She heard John behind her and turned around.

He had the rings in his hand and without preamble he slipped hers onto her ring finger. Her eyes widened as she looked at it; not only had it been expensive, but the centre stone was huge. A princess cut diamond joined two separate platinum bands. She wondered just why he'd done all this for a weekend trip. They'd been getting closer over the last year, but marriage wasn't something they'd ever talked about or mentioned. She wondered if it was something that'd ever be in the cards for them. But she couldn't deny the feeling of warmth that went over her as she slipped his band onto his finger and how he looked at her while she did it.

"I love you," she said, kissing him. Being wrapped up in his arms was the perfect way to start the weekend.

* * *

Carter watched Reese down another shot of _Patron_ Tequila before he let his glass land on the table with a thud. The bottle beside him was empty, and the two of them were both more than a little tipsy. His tray of quesadillas was just about bare, and to his right, only crumbs littered the plate that had been full of crab empanadas. So far she'd had wings, nachos, and enchiladas with rice and beans on the side. She was stuffed, but that last quesadilla on John's plate was looking mighty good at the moment.

They were at _Mercado Mexican Grill &amp; Tequila Bar_ on Montauk Highway. The place was packed, alive with people eating, drinking, watching sports on the huge flat screen TV, and shaking their asses on the dance floor. The atmosphere was upbeat, energetic, and splashes of colour were everywhere.

"This is some good tequila," he said, pointing a finger at the bottle in his hands. "Really good."

"I guess you're an expert."

"You're talking to a former drunk."

His remark reminded her of how far he'd come since they'd met, how far they'd both come. It had been an eventful journey. Smiling at her the way he was right now, he seemed worlds away from being the _Man In a Suit._ Here, he was relaxed. Despite his being aware of his surroundings, he seemed lighter, smiled more and the twinkle she sometimes saw in his eyes was significantly brighter.

"What are you thinking about over there?" he asked, sliding his chair from the other side of the table to sit next to her.

"You."

"Yeah? What about me?"

"Oh, just that you look handsome…" Her eyes wandered over to the plate he left on the other side of the table.

"Hmm."

"And sexy." She could probably reach it without much trouble or effort.

"Go on."

"And I just….I want that last quesadilla, John."

Before he could stop her she grabbed it off his plate and took a huge bite.

"You little…!" he said, as she swallowed. He tried to grab it from her, but she bit into it again.

"I'm sorry, John," she said, with her mouth full. "I had to have it. And it's so good, too."

"Taste good?" he asked, moving even closer.

His voice dipped and took on that devilish tone that he used when he called her name while he made love to her. She swallowed, not the food this time, but because of the hand that he rested on her thigh. "Does it taste as good as you?"

"You tell me," she whispered. His face, his lips were so near hers right now. "You ate them both."

She put the quesadilla down and stared at him, arching an eyebrow. His hand moved further up her thigh. She looked around, but the chatter and everything else suddenly disappeared. The room was silent except for their voices and her pulse that instantly quickened at the thought of his mouth on her.

"My memory says it doesn't come close," he answered. "But I should probably taste it again. Just to be sure."

"You know, I don't have any objections to that. You always _could_ appreciate a good meal."

"Well…" he cocked his head to the side, and Carter felt his hand skirting closer and closer to her core. "When it's that good, I don't stop until I swallow every bite, every drop, every-"

"Keep talking like that, John…we won't make it back to the house before I push your head down there."

* * *

They almost hadn't made it. They'd just barely gotten up the driveway before their hands were on each other. They were heated after more drinks at the restaurant, and his hand fondling her on the car ride back to the house. She was already wet, already ready, and feeling a raging tequila buzz, she didn't think they'd make it upstairs to the master bedroom.

Their feet moved swiftly, hurriedly over the maple wood floors as they got inside. Carter could taste the tequila on Reese's tongue as he kissed her. Almost as potent as if she'd drunk it herself, the flavour made her giddy, and her hands moved over his back as his kiss deepened. As if he'd read her mind, Reese picked her up and carried her to the den. He rested her on the couch and her fingers moved quickly over the buttons of his shirt, undoing them. His hands moved under her dress again, pulling at her panties, drawing them down her thighs and legs.

"I wanna taste you, Joss."

"Go 'head and taste me, John. Don't let me stop you."

He spread her legs open, and she lay back while he sucked on her pussy lips. A mixture of tequila and arousal seemed to heighten her sensitivity, and she bucked against him wildly, fisted her hands in his hair. His tongue circled her clit, his fingers bore into her hips, and she felt like she would explode from the pleasure as his tongue and mouth moved so expertly over her. In every way that he knew she liked.

"I wanna taste you too, baby." She cupped his face and pulled him up to kiss him. He pressed her into the back of the chair, bit her through her dress, both of them panting, both of them hot. "I wanna taste you too.

She fumbled with the belt at his waist and zipped his pants down. "Stand up," she told him, and he did, stepping out of his pants. She drew his underwear downward, ran her hands up his thighs and took him into her mouth.

He gasped as she sucked on him, lobbing the head, his shaft, until he was a groaning mess in front of her. He gritted his teeth as she licked him over and over again. He was weak with want, but at the same time he was overcome with the desire to be inside her. Reese eased her onto her back, about to lie on top of her, but she stopped him. She wordlessly moved from underneath him and pushed him into a seated position against the back of the couch.

He let out a breathy groan as she straddled him and lowered herself onto his cock. He moved his fingers under the straps of her gown, lowering them to expose her breasts, cupped them as she started to move. She rode him hard, swiftly, and she ground her hips into him as she dug her nails into his shoulders. It wasn't long at all before her groans were deeper. He'd grown so used to her body and the sounds she made whenever they made love that he knew when she was close. Right now, she was practically there.

"I can't hold it, baby," she said, moaning into his neck. "I'm gonna come."

He squeezed her nipples as her body started to rock, and she wrapped her arms around him as she reached her peak. She fell limp against him as her movements slowed, and she eventually slid off him, sitting beside him on the couch.

She let her head fall onto the back of it while her fingernails teased his scalp.

He was still standing at attention, still hard, but he watched her get up from beside him and head to the kitchen.

"Joss?"

He could see the light from the refrigerator; hear her fumbling around in the dark.

"Joss, come here."

Carter heard Reese calling out for her, but she opened the fridge, looking for something, anything to cool down. She'd just come but instead of the calm that accompanied her orgasm, she still felt like her body was on fire, erotic energy still pulsing through it. She grabbed a small bottle of water and put it to her head, draining it. It helped a little, and she poured some of it onto her bare breasts.

"I said come here, baby."

She turned her head slightly at the sound of John's husky voice behind her. The light from the fridge cast a glow on him and she could see the outline of his still hard cock as it hit his thigh.

"What are we gonna do with this?" He asked, holding it in his hand, coming closer. "Hmmm?" he asked, moving behind her. He slid his hand between her legs caressing her, sliding his fingers over her labia. She could feel his cock against her butt cheeks, warm and pulsing.

"I need to feel you, baby."

His hand moved over her breasts, his tongue snaked out to slide along her ear and he bent her over a little to slide his shaft over her wetness. She started to moan and moved with him as he guided her away from the fridge and over to the counter. He pressed her into it and entered her from behind.

She moaned as he slid into her, pulled out and ran the tip of his shaft over her opening.

"So warm," he murmured, softly.

"Don't stop," she said.

"I'm not gonna stop," he said as he slid back in, thrusting hard and fast. "I'm not gonna stop fucking you."

She stood on her tip toes, angling her bottom to take him all in, flattening her palms over the granite.

"Don't stop fucking me. Don't you dare stop, John."

"I can't stop. Can't stop, Joss."

All she could see as her eyes fluttered was the light from the fridge and their shadows as they played along the wall. All she could see was their bodies joining together. All she could hear was him slamming into her and their flesh colliding deliciously together. He didn't stop until she was calling his name, muttering things that neither of them understood. He didn't stop until she felt his nails and his teeth digging into her back. He didn't stop until they both came, hard. And even then their lust wasn't satisfied.

From the kitchen to the den, to the entertainment room and eventually to the bedroom upstairs, it continued. All night. It was as if they couldn't get enough, as if the freedom of being away from it all manifested itself into something hungry that had to be appeased.

The moon was low in the sky when she finally lay on his chest and started to dose off. She felt his hands in her hair, a soothing motion, and she felt more relaxed and satisfied than she had in years.


	2. Chapter 2

When Carter woke up, she was laying half on top of John and half on top of the bed with her head almost fully tucked into his armpit. She inhaled and smelled the last of his deodorant, and its faint aroma woke her up. Her throat was dry, and her mouth felt like she'd been chewing on sandpaper all night. She rolled over onto her back, groaning, and rubbed her eyes.

The sun was up, beaming brightly through the bedroom window, and she could hear the sound of the surf outside. She sat up slowly, noting that her dress was bunched up around her waist in a tangle of yellow fabric. John was still asleep beside her, naked from the waist down. His shirt was unbuttoned and hung loosely off his shoulders.

"That was some…good tequila," she mumbled, and checked the time on her cell phone on the nightstand. It was just past noon. "Some _really_ good tequila."

She fell back against the bedding, then sat up abruptly as her stomach lurched. It subsided. For two seconds, then hit her powerfully at once. She rolled off the bed quickly, and for the first time since she woke, she felt her head start to pound.

_Oh God_, she thought, running to the bathroom with her hand over her mouth. It felt like it was miles away for some reason, and as soon as she got through the door she fell to her knees in front of the toilet, emptying the contents of her stomach.

When she was done, her stomach was sore, and she wiped at her mouth, weakly.

"Ugh."

She got up and walked over to the sink, looking for her toothbrush and toothpaste and began to scrub inside her mouth vigorously. Brushing her tongue stirred up another wave of nausea, and she held her stomach with a frown.

John's footsteps sounded behind her and he looked at her in the mirror after she gargled with some mouthwash.

"Are you okay?" he asked, kissing her neck. He slid his arm gently around her waist and she leaned into him.

"I think it was the tequila," she responded, quietly. "And don't think I don't feel you pushing up on me in the back there, I've got a _headache_ too."

"Not even two years together and you have a _headache_ already?"

She grinned as his hands moved over her thighs, and she looked at him in the huge bathroom mirror while he nibbled on her neck playfully.

"Just a little one."

"You didn't mind me pushing up on you last night."

She turned around in his arms. "No, I didn't mind at all. You do know how to throw that thing. Hit the right spots."

She put her arms around him and rested her face against his chest while he pulled her close. She liked to just stand in his embrace sometimes. She always felt safe and loved when he held her.

"You throw it back pretty good yourself," he responded. "You sure you're okay?"

"My stomach is queasy. I'm sure it's not something a little tea won't cure. Make me some?"

"Of course."

He gave her a soft peck on the mouth and disappeared. "Put some pants on first!" she screamed after him. She heard him reenter the bedroom; rummage through the drawers, then shortly after head for the kitchen.

She took the opportunity to jump in the shower, thinking about last night and how they basically tore up the place after they got home. She blushed, thinking about the sex, the way he took her and the way she took him. She felt like a teenager. John seemed to be the only man who could bring out the naughty, risqué side to her sexuality. Not that sex with Paul wasn't good, but for the majority of their marriage, Taylor was just a baby, and then there were the early childhood years where he needed all of her attention. Before she'd gone back on tour, he'd always wanted to sleep in between them, had to be cared for, and then Paul had ended up going back on tour too. There wasn't a whole lot of time - or places - to be adventurous or carefree. And then when he came home with PTSD, their love life became non-existent.

During her brief relationship with Cal, she enjoyed the touch and intimacy of being with someone again, but things with John were so starkly different from the both he and Paul. And she was enjoying it to the fullest. She liked that now, at her age, she could simply lie back and let John take his time while he made love to her. She could go over to his loft, hold him in her hand and have him beg her to put her lips on him. She could be the one in charge, ride him, buck up on him, tell him how she wanted it. And she also liked when they just went wild on each other like they had last night. She giggled, thinking of how he bent her over the countertop. She'd certainly been well fucked on their first night in the Hamptons.

They were good in bed together, but they were equally good outside of it.

He had his subtle ways of taking care of her. He had her back when she was battling office politics in her male dominated precinct. He'd help her out on her own cases when she needed a different perspective. He listened when she needed him to, and he had a way of understanding what she wanted without her having to say anything at all. _He loved her._ Fiercely, and completely, and with all that he had.

She knew his past with Jessica and all the shit the CIA put him through had left him feeling like he was damaged goods, but in her eyes, he wasn't. And she tried to make him feel special; let him know how much he meant to her. And to Taylor. His father was back in his life, but he also valued John as a friend, and as her man.

As she toweled off and slipped into her underwear, she realized that with the drama of HR behind her, her relationship with John and Taylor heading off to college in the fall, she was completely and utterly happy.

"Ooooh...damn."

Her stomach was aching again; she sat on the bed, flattening her palm over it. She decided to get back under the covers, just as he came walking through the bedroom door with a mug in his hand.

"Found some peppermint in the cupboard; it should settle your stomach." He held up a small bottle of pills in his hand, shaking it. "Take one of these too and your head should be better in a while."

He handed her the cup of tea and asked if she wanted food, but with her stomach still upset, the last thing she wanted to do was eat.

"No, thanks. I don't want anything, except for you in bed next to me."

"How could I say no to that?" he asked. "Just let me take a shower and I'll be back."

"Hmm, okay."

Carter took a few more sips of the tea, but apart from the upset stomach and the headache, she felt tired, sleepy. She rested the mug on the dresser next to the bed and closed her eyes listening to the faint sound of John singing as he showered. She lay back against the pillows, and by the time John got out of the shower and slipped into some boxer briefs, she was almost asleep. Instead of rousing her, he got in beside her and pulled her close to his chest. She snuggled up beside him, inhaling the smell of soap on his skin. His skin was warm, and she slid her arm around his waist.

She could feel him kissing her face, kissing her neck, rubbing her back, and she smiled.

"Get some sleep, Joss." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

After sleeping most of the morning away and afternoon away, they both woke up feeling hungry and relaxed. Neither wanted to go out, but Reese pulled her out of bed and fixed them something to eat. Music played in the background while he prepared their meal, and she sat on one of the bar stools and watched him. After he was done, she'd taken her first bite and insisted on 'kissing the cook' since he'd done such a good job.

Reese spooned the last of the pulled pork onto a Kaiser roll and put a little coleslaw on it before he placed it in front of him. He absently took a bite while he listened as Carter shared a story about her army days and how difficult she found training at first. Truthfully he missed a bit of the details. He was thinking of the last time he'd allowed himself to be this relaxed, this free and this open with a woman. He remembered Jessica and their weekend in Mexico. It was another long weekend just like this one, and he'd been happy thinking about their future together.

After she died, he never thought he'd feel anything close to what he felt for Jessica again. And he was right. What he had with Joss was so much different, stronger than anything he'd imagined. She knew everything about him - the good and the bad - and she still accepted him. Just as he was.

_How did he get so lucky_? he wondered. The straps of her yellow dress slipped off and he gazed at her skin, her beautiful eyes and her smile. With her hair up in a ponytail and her face free of makeup, she reminded him of how he'd once been young and open to love, and ready to give his heart to someone. What could he possibly have done in this lifetime to deserve someone like her? He wasn't sure if it was fate, luck, a miracle. But he was grateful for whatever it was that had caused their paths to cross.

He could get lost in her, in her touch, in her kiss. He was a different man around her, and here with no numbers, without being the Man In a Suit, he was in no rush to go back or leave.

"What are you looking so pensive over there for? Cause I know you're not listening to my story."

He didn't respond, but the smile on her face disappeared when he looked at her with all the love he felt. He took away the empty plates, silently loaded the dishwasher, and when he stood at the sink he felt her arms around his waist, her head resting on his back.

He turned round to kiss her, feel the softness of her mouth, and the softness of her heart. She had slowly become his everything and he hadn't even realized it. Her caress on his cheek, the touch of her hand on his chest as she stood on her toes to get closer to his lips – she was his everything and he didn't know what he'd do if he ever lost her.

It felt like hours, days, eons of time passed by as he kissed her, as he poured his heart into every nip, every slow movement of his tongue, every touch of his hand on her body. He heard the whisper of her breath, sensed her arousal, sensed that she was caught up in the moment just as much as he was.

"John," Carter said, catching her breath.

She wondered if something was wrong. Was he okay? But he continued to kiss her, didn't say a word, and before long, she was too weak to remember any questions that she might have had. His hands moved underneath her dress; they gently pulled her panties down, and she shivered as he touched her ever so softly between her legs. He lifted her up, put her on top of the island, and she felt the satin fabric dangle and fall from around her ankles.

He raised her knees up, rested the flat of her feet on top of the island, and she lay back as the feel of his tongue caused sparks of lightning to pass through her. He took his time, licked and sucked, and she felt the room spin as he slowly, expertly and sweetly brought her to orgasm. When he was done, when she was trembling and wet with pleasure, he took her upstairs to their room.

"You're not done?" she grinned, as he slowly removed the straps of her dress from her shoulders.

It fell to the ground in a heap, and after he undressed, he finally shook his head and answered.

"Not by a long shot."

Unlike the frenzy of the night before, he was unhurried, controlled, but strong. She thought that she would go crazy as he drew out his strokes, as he filled her up, and made her want him more and more. Whenever she came close to her peak, he would stop; make her come down, only to build up the anticipation and threshold of pleasure again. He took her underneath him, from the back and finally on her side, changing positions to increase her pleasure in as many ways as possible. And finally when she couldn't take it anymore, he brought them both to a roaring climax. One that left him gasping, crying out her name.

He was quiet for a while, and she sensed that whatever it was that had moved him so much he wasn't yet ready to share. So she just held him while they talked about nothing and everything at the same time. He knew what she needed without her saying the words, and right now she knew that he simply needed her to be near, to hold him until the feeling disappeared.

The next day they got up early, and he drove them out to one of the popular golf clubs. He was determined to teach her. She stood and listened to him as they entered the range and he told her the rules of the game and how to play. He looked incredibly serious as he told her about the different clubs in their bag, the 'woods' and what each of them were used for. He taught her how to swing, the right stance and how to make sure you got distance. He was very good. At teaching and at the game too. He didn't care that she started off slowly, or that she swung up instead of down, and he coached her on how not to swing too hard at the ball and how to let the club do its job of making sure the ball got as close to the hole as possible.

After a few hours on the course, they went onto the tennis court and got in a few sets. Admittedly she enjoyed playing tennis more, and unlike golf, she was better than John. At least she thought so, and didn't mind teasing him about it. After the sets were done and they handed in their rackets, a feeling of lethargy rest on her. She wrinkled her brow, wondering why she felt so tired, when she exercised regularly back in Brooklyn and went jogging several times a week.

She ran a towel over her face, wiping away the perspiration when suddenly she began to connect the dots in her head. An upset stomach for almost two days, vomiting, feeling tired yesterday after she got up, sleeping the whole afternoon, and now…after a few light rounds of exercise all she wanted to do was rest again.

"One…two…"

She started counting aloud, thinking about the date of her last period and realized that she was late! By about two weeks to be exact. She felt the hair on her arms stand up, a literal chill ran up her spine and she started to shake her head in denial.

John was walking toward her, rubbing a towel on the back of his neck.

"Where do you wanna eat tonight, Joss?"

Eat? she thought. Food was the last thing on her mind. What she needed was to get to a drug store. And quick.

"Um, I don't know, John. You pick the place."

* * *

"No."

It was the first word that popped into her head the moment she saw the two pink lines in front of her. She shook her head and closed her eyes.

"No," she repeated.

Outside the bathroom door, Carter heard John calling to her, telling her they were gonna be late. He'd chosen an Italian place about twenty minutes away. He was hungry. And she was pregnant apparently. At least that's what the test strip said, but it couldn't be right.

She shook her head again, putting the strip back into its box and into the plastic bag from the drug store. The door opened abruptly, and John poked his head into the bathroom.

"Hey."

She slipped it behind her back and turned towards him. John saw the swift movement, but didn't say anything, except to tell her again that it was time to go.

"Ok," she said, with a forced smile and walked past him quickly.

She disposed of it in the trash can, picked up her purse and headed out the front door. She squelched the panic that rose inside her and thoughts about what a pregnancy could mean for the both of them as he slid into the SUV beside her.

It was a full minute before she realized he had yet to start the vehicle and just sat quietly watching her. _There's no way he could know_, she thought.

"What?" she asked.

"You look beautiful."

He reached over to squeeze her hand. It was their last night in the Hamptons. Maybe for tonight at least she could pretend she hadn't taken the test and think about facing reality after they got back to Manhattan.

"Thanks."

* * *

_Present Day_

Reese let himself into Carter's apartment. She hadn't answered his calls all day, but he knew she was at home. Knew it like he knew she'd been avoiding him since they got back from the Hamptons. Their last night had been fun; they were filled with laughter, good food, and good sex, just like the previous two had been. But she was different, and he hadn't missed the slight change in her despite her attempts to hide it.

They'd only been back a week, but she seemed to have something on her mind. Something she needed to tell him, but hadn't yet come to terms with herself. He knew what it was. Knew she was pregnant, and he feared that her inability to tell him meant she was contemplating getting rid of it.

Getting rid of him, too.

He sought her out to hear the words he knew she was eventually going to say. No matter how painful they were going to be.

He found her upstairs in her bedroom, sitting at the foot of her bed. When he walked in she looked up, and he saw tears in her eyes. She sat up straight, wiping at her face, and he slowly walked toward her.

"I'm not gonna ask if you're okay; I can see that you're not."

She sniffled a little and he knelt in front of her, putting his arms around her hips. "How far along are you?"

She looked surprised, and a slight chuckle escaped her lips. "How'd you know?"

"I know you, Joss. I know how you smell. I know how you taste. I know how you feel in my arms. And last weekend…you were different. The change was small, but…you were different."

"You saw my pregnancy test in the garbage didn't you?"

"And I also saw your pregnancy test in the garbage."

She huffed out a small laugh, and he wondered with a little bit of hope if she hadn't made up her mind yet. Maybe he could still convince her.

"I had one long weekend with Jessica. We were happy for those few days, and then 9/11 happened and I knew the dreams I had for us to be together would never come true."

"John, I'm not Jessica. And you are not the same person you were all those years ago."

"I know, but if you could just give us a chance. I don't want to lose you."

"Wait," she said, cupping his face in her hands. "You don't think that I'm thinking about ending things do you? Because I'm not."

"I know who I am, Joss. I know what I've done, and I know that a child with me is a…complication that you might not want. A life with me," - he choked on the next words - "is something you might not need."

Now she knew why he'd behaved so strangely before they'd left, why he'd made love to her so desperately. Their weekend together reminded him of what he had, and what he could lose. He'd been happy with Jessica, and now he had been scared to lose the happiness he had with her.

"Except you're a _complication_ that I've had for almost two years. Sometimes I think between me being a detective, and this life I have with somebody whose work lies on the opposite side of the law, I must be out of my mind thinking it could work. But, so far it has."

She slid her thumb over his brow, stroked his cheek, and he closed his eyes, taking her words in.

"It's been far from easy, John, but I love you," she said, softly. "And out of the men I've dated, married, I've never had to be guarded with you. We had our trust issues in the beginning, but I know now that I can trust you no matter what."

She hugged him, and he slid his arms around her. Despite her reassurances about their relationship, she still felt terrified about having a baby when her only baby she'd had for almost eighteen years was graduating from high school in a few months.

She was terrified, and she decided to tell him so. "I'm scared, John."

He pulled away and kissed her. "I'm scared." He kissed her again, trying to dispel her panic, her misgivings and doubts, and she loved him for it.

"So am I."

"I can't raise this baby alone. This child is going to need both its parents."

She looked into his eyes, and he knew, like she did, that he'd have to make some changes.

"You're stuck with me remember? Both you and Taylor, and now so is this baby."

"Are we?" she asked, thinking about the dangers he faced every day.

She saw him fidget in his pocket, and when he took his hand out, her _wedding_ _ring_ was in his palm.

"You can if you want to be."

"Are you crazy?" she asked.

"We both are. We're crazy enough to make a relationship work, crazy enough to consider having a child together."

"And now you want us to go deeper into this rabbit hole?"

Reese knew what he was asking was near impossible. She was a cop, and he was legally dead. She'd be at a disadvantage saying yes. But years ago, he'd let Jessica walk out of his life without asking her to wait. He'd practically shoved her out of it. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. He knew he didn't deserve it, but he wanted this baby. He wanted Joss, and he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life; however long that was.

"Like you said, it's crazy."

He tentatively reached for her hand, sliding the ring onto it. She took a deep breath while she looked at it.

"Joss?" His lips were at her ear, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her face.

"Okay, John," she said, nodding, and put her hand round the back of his neck. He smiled and got up from his knees, dragging her to the middle of the bed where he lay atop her. She giggled as he playfully nipped at her neck and put her arms around him.

"What is Finch gonna say?" she asked.

He tilted his head a little, contemplating the conversation they'd eventually have. "He's probably thinking of something right now. I'm sure he's listening."

"Is he now?"

She kissed him, threading her fingers through his hair. She took her time tasting his mouth, teasing his lips apart and darting her tongue in and out of it. He pulled her on top of him, his hands moving under the waistband of her pants and she moaned.

"Always."

"Well, I'd suggest he tune out now. Things are about to get…heated," she said.

"Not that I'm complaining, but."

But, what?"

"Boy or girl?"

"It's way too soon to tell."

"I know but, do you want a boy or girl?"

"John?" she murmured against his lips. "Shut up and kiss me."


End file.
